
Joshua Jones
Birthday | June 23 |
Ordination Year | 2028 |
Home Town | Elk Grove Village, IL |
Home Parish | Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament |
Undergraduate | Miami University (Oxford, OH) (Information Systems and Business Analytics) |
Previous Career | I was an IT Auditor and Consultant for one of the Big 4 accounting firms in Chicago for 2 years |
Languages | English, Spanish |
Hobbies | Traveling, learning languages, playing and watching football, playing piano, running, golfing, playing cards |
Tidbit | I have traveled to 48 of the U.S. States and to 30 different countries. |
Favorite Saint | Saint Anthony of Padua |
Favorite Devotion | Surrender Novena |
Vocation Story | While I was raised Catholic and attended Catholic school for 10 years, I fell away from the faith during my high school and college years. After graduating college, while going through many personal struggles in the midst of a pandemic, I had a reversion to the faith, which sparked a newfound love for Jesus Christ and His Church. It was during this experience that a friend of mine invited me to my first Bible Study, which helped me grow in love for Sacred Scripture. I also began to seek community within various Young Adult groups in the Archdiocese of Chicago. While doing so, I continued to work my job and planned to advance my career as well as pursue marriage. However, the Holy Spirit continued to invite me to be open to God’s will in my life, including my vocation. It was in the midst of this discernment that I sought my first spiritual director, and then joined the InSearch discernment program in Chicago. After much fervent prayer, as well as hearing many priests and seminarians share their own stories, it became clear that God was calling me to take the next step by entering Seminary. |
Priest Aspirations | I look forward to bringing others to Christ and witnessing how He is at work in their lives, just as He is at work in mine. |
What has been your favorite/most memorable story of your time at Mundelein thus far? | During Spirituality Year, I had the privilege of being sent on a month-long poverty immersion experience in Kansas City. Going into it, I was very nervous and anxious over the idea of living off so little. Then, once arriving, I began to panic and wonder how I was going to survive. However, not only did I “make it through” the month, but I grew in detachment of the comfort I am used to and more importantly, in trusting the Lord and how He provides, especially through the generosity of others. I hope to carry the graces I received from this experience throughout my life going forward. |
How can Mundelein's donors and community pray for you? | Please pray that I may continue to prayerfully discern God’s will and surrender myself more fully to Him. |